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Sure Action Security Products
Sure Action manufactures professional-grade residential and commercial security
products. Our protection systems provide installation companies with
superior quality products customers' love.
Our security
products include:
How to Compete with Other Security Products Companies?
In general, during the 1970s, the home alarm industry
focused on selling security systems that satisfactorily detered theft. Profit was built into both the sale and
installation, with additional money being generated by monthly central
station fees. Then, in the 1980s the security industry underwent a
drastic "revolution".
Introducing
the $99 Home Alarm System
In what was considered a brilliant marketing strategy, home alarm security
companies began selling alarm systems for $99 including installation.
While they sold and installed residential systems for little to no immediate
profit, they made significant money long-term by including a five-year
central station monitoring agreement in the deal. These central station
agreements assessed penalities if they were cancelled early. The strategy
paid off. Home alarm sales soared and residential security companies
throughout the USA scrambled to stay competitive.
Unfortunately, the inexpensive alarm system also had a
negative impact on the security industry. The large marketing
push for $99 home alarm systems devalued residential security systems for the consumer. Installers around the U.S. felt pressure to
install systems for as little money as possible. Focus shifted
from what security equipment best met the client's needs to keeping the home alarm installation as cheap as possible.
The Home Protection Game: Not the Same for Everyone
Fastforward to 2011. The $99 residential security system still exists
as an effective marketing tool for some companies. For these
companies, this home alarm promotion enables them to reach their
target market. They use the $99 promotion to set an appointment with the
potential client. The company knows the products offered in the
promotion will not provide adequate protection for most homes; however, once
they meet with the consumer, they try upsell to a more appropriate
system. This marketing strategy works for some, but not all consumers.
For some consumers, the $99 residential systems tactic feels like a
scam, a bait and switch per se. These people expect the home alarm
promotion to work in any
home. When they are told the system will only cover two doors and four
windows (for example), which is not adequate for their home, they feel duped.
These consumers are not the $99 residential security system's market.
They fall into a different niche.
The high-end residential security
market never fell into the $99 home alarm target market. This group's
members tends to be cost-conscious, but their primary concern is
effective security protection. They typically look for
quality security products that are competitively priced and accomplish
exactly what they want. They
too fall into a different sales niche.
To run an effective business,
residential alarm installers need to realize that the home protection game is not a
cookie-cutter industry. Protection means something
different to each person. Different companies and
different marketing strategies will appeal to different people. The
key lies in conntecting the security company and the target market.
Choosing a Residential Alarm Demographic
Successful installation companies evaluate and choose a target
market (a demographic), determine its needs, and then meet those needs. Radio Surveillance
provides an ideal example.
Radio Surveillance, residential security
installation company, opened its doors on the eastern end of Long Island in
the famous Hamptons in 1973. Its target market: summer homes of
the upper class. Its initial marketing strategy:
| Customer's Need |
How Need Met |
| Professional-grade security products that
promote
convenience and reliability |
Pulsor stress sensors - installed under floor boards.
Invisible. Virtually false-alarm free and maintenance free.
Clients didn't even need to lock the house when they went out. |
| Discretion |
Clients were often well-known and wealthy. Radio
Surveillance employees treated clients with respect and protected
their privacy. |
| Responsive Customer Service |
Clients expected immediate attention when needed. Radio
Surveillance staff responded to any alarms or malfunctions promptly,
no matter what time of day or night. |
| Fair pricing structure |
Radio Surveillance priced home alarm systems fairly. The
company did not overcharge customers but also included a comfortable
profit. Maintenance and equipment problems were handled
quickly and, at times, the company did not charge for repairs or
maintenance depending on the circumstances. The company's
focus was on customer satisfaction and retention. |
As Radio Surveillance grew, the company expanded its services to include
its own central station. Later, when local towns began charging fess for responding to false alarms, Radio Surveillance added 24-hour guard
service so the company could respond first. This addition saved money
for its customers.
To become successful, an installation company must
know its home alarm market. To do this, analzye the
demographics of the local community. Study the competition. Look
at its
security products offerings and its advertising to determine what segment of
the home protection market they target. Then, choose a residential market
and determine what appeals to that group. Finally, choose
security products and services in answer to market needs. Find
a way to offer home alarm security protection that is slightly different
from competing companies. By choosing a niche and
catering to it, residential security companies can find success and profit.
Home Security Business
Resource Articles
©2011 Sure
Action Inc.
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